Members of Northumberland, Tyne and Wear and Durham County Angling Action Groups have organised a number of events providing youngsters and adults with the opportunity to try angling.

Everyone who participates will receive a ‘Get Into Fishing’ booklet full of information and advice on different types of fishing, along with local opportunities to win tackle.

In this region ‘an Introduction to coarse angling’, one-hour sessions held throughout the day at the Angel of the North Fishing Lakes, Birtley, Co Durham will be on offer for only £5. To book, phone (0191) 4100449.

Axwell Park and Derwent Valley Angling Association, who did so much last year, are offer parent and adult tuition on their stretch of the River Derwent.

Les Goreham does a great job for the juniors of the clubs that make up the Tyne Anglers Alliance in arranging the Annual TAA Junior Match, which will be held this Sunday at Wydon Burn, Hexham.

Youngsters interested in registering for this free event, where many prizes are available, can contact their parent club or mailing Les at lesliegoreham@tiscali.co.uk or via phone on 07954258053

Angling continues to be very productive with The Angel, Aldin Grange and Eden Meadows all in tip- top form, while on the running waters the Tees, Tyne and Wear are providing good sport in that order, with chub and barbel fans visiting the Swale.

John Carruthers of Hebburn fished the stretch at Morton taking three chub, best 4lb and a barbel pushing 5lb on a day when a bigger barbel was lost at the net.

The Felton Fence Fishery in Northumberland has extended and restocked their Fox Lake fishery, and the half-acre pond is being reconstructed.

Mallard Lake, with carp to 24 lb, Fence Lake and Badger Lake are the other waters in the complex near Longhorsley and group or match bookings may interest local clubs. Telephone 01665 570205 or 07714152867 to book.

Aldin Grange are holding a match for Help For Heroes, next month, on August 3.

Tickets are £20 each and must be paid for in advance, as none will be sold on the day. Contact Mick on 07901538587 to book.

The Environment Agency’s Fisheries Enforcement Officers have been patrolling the rivers and still-waters checking licences in the North East from North Yorkshire up to Northumberland. Between April 1 and 30 June, officers visited 29 different river locations and 39 stillwaters, carrying out 2,285 licence checks.

Ninety anglers were unable to produce a licence, giving a bank-side evasion rate of 3.9%.

In addition over 70 additional by-law and close season offences were detected during the same period.

Kevin Summerson, enforcement team leader at the Environment Agency, said: “Patrols on specific locations have been very successful this year, and we have delivered some tremendous results.

“We targeted specific areas where intelligence indicated some anglers were deliberately flouting the law and were rewarded with a high number of cases from the stretches we had identified on the river Tees, where over 70 offences were detected during the coarse fish close season.

From the stretches we had identified on the river Tees, where over 70 offences were detected during the coarse fish close season.”

DIARY DATES

SATURDAY: An Open takes place on The Angel and the complex also holds group angling coaching sessions every Saturday morning.

SUNDAY: Leazes Park AA fish a match in their Carp series, Sunderland FAC contest their Norman Griffin Memorial on Silksworth, and Wansbeck and Cramlington fish a Evening Series on Horton Grange. There are Opens on Woodlands, The Angel, The Oaks and Carp Vale

MONDAY: There’s an Evening match over Lookout and Bowes Lakes.

TUESDAY: Big Waters AC hold their final evening match on Dissington and Wansbeck and Cramlington fish a OAP/Disabled match on Horton Grange. Another match in The King of Whins takes place on Whins Pond.